The murder trial of Simon McCartney began in the Suva High Court this afternoon with McCartney pleading not guilty to alleged murder of his wife Ashika Lata McCartney.

McCartney's lawyer Sevuloni Valenitabua made an application before judge Justice Daniel Goundar for the use of two video footages of the alleged crime scene in Deuba that was aired in Fiji Television’s news.

DPP Lawyer Paulini Matanivosa objected to this saying the footages might contain an interview with a state witness and the news item may have other information which are in dispute at the moment.

Justice Goundar then said that he saw no reason as to why the two news pieces cannot be used for witness purpose and ruled in favor of the defense.

Ashika McCartney arrived in Fiji on 20th October last year, however she was reported missing three days later when she failed to turn up at her father’s house.

Her body was found a few days later in Deuba.

The case will continue tomorrow morning.